The Red Head and the Rat
by Anna James McGloffin
Summary: Two friends have a calm evening over some delicious food. No green teenagers around to spoil the peace. April, Splinter.


_Since "Fur" was warmly received by readers, I decided to have another April and Splinter story. This doesn't imply any relationships. Just two friends having a little peace time. :)_

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><p>"I'm glad you sent the boys off for the evening. I have FOOD!" Emerald eyes glittered under a bush of red hair and a sprinkle of freckles. "And no green mouths and hands to snatch it away!"<p>

"Miss O'Neil, it is a pleasure to be in your company. Thank you for the treat," humble Splinter's whiskers danced with his voice. He smiled from the kitchen table and pushed a warm cup of coffee in April's direction. "I am looking forward to my Oreo Brownie Earthquake."

"There must have been a sale at Dairy Queen, but it's worth it to hike over to New Jersey for a delicious salad!" She unloaded their food out of a bag and licked one of her fingers. "Though that means your treat melted a little. Sorry..." rounded out with a weak chuckle.

Splinter nodded, radiating his warmly glow and eyeballing his gooey craving in front of him. "I can eat in peace and with you, Miss O'Neil." He sipped a bite of the cream and let it sink into his bones. "Mmm. I will need to hide my sons' most treasured items in the city more often."

April giggled and almost squirted her packet of ranch dressing into Splinter's ear. "Like ninja hide and seek?"

"Like get out of my fur and leave me to my devices," he mumbled as his plastic spoon dove into the frosty treat, and the two enjoyed their eats in silence for a few moments.

The constant drip from the kitchen sink annoyed April a little, and she wiped her mouth full of greens and carrots, chomping quickly and swallowing before starting up a new conversation. "Is that a new robe?"

Splinter was headway into his treat, but he stopped, chewing slowly, and pondered. "I think Michelangelo and Raphael wanted to sew me a robe, but it didn't turn out the way they wanted so they had one ordered from the internet."

"That's right!" she chimed. "I remember that package arriving at my door. The same day I was expecting my Avon shipment. I like ordering from the cute 20-something girl down the hall. You never know what she's going to say. It's like having a female Mikey."

Splinter chuckled and slurped the ice cream. April tried to hold back her giggles; Splinter never, EVER committed such a taboo! Some of the liquid dribbled down his chin, and April quickly handed him a napkin.

"Yeah! The other day she said that her mother's car got repo'ed at the bakery where her mother works, I guess, and that it was all a computer error, but her mother borrowed a car from a guy that calls himself the Barnyard Pimp," she burst into laughter and forked through her salad. "Her brother-in-law was on an episode of COPS. I think I saw that episode where a guy tried to hide in a shed and a dog pulled him out. Then he tried to sue."

"Yes, that sounds like something my son would present to a room full of unsuspecting people," his voice warbled, both with the food and humor.

"I was flirting with the idea of match-making those two but that she could only see Mikey on Halloween, and the rest of the time, he was away hunting for vampires and unicorns. They could talk on Facebook and Skype."

"Nooooo," Splinter droned, combing through the brownie pieces. "I'm too young to be a father-in-law or grandfather." He smacked his food and winked at her.

April finished her salad and softly rocked Splinter's bony shoulders. "You are a mess! But are you sure you can handle that big cream treat? It looks... disastrous. Even for me."

"I'm a big boy," he acknowledged, pushing back his shoulders in a show of strength. "I taught martial arts to four mutant turtles and can still out-wit them all." He paused, chewing on a brownie. "I am confident I can successfully finish this dessert and sleep through the night."

She smirked and began clearing her side of the table. The sink was crammed full of dirty dishes, and because the Turtles always rescued her from some evil, wacky villain every other month, she repaid the favor and loaded the drain with water and bubbles.

"You know, this was nice, Master Splinter," April reminisced, elbow deep in suds, "just you and me, on a little ice cream date. I always have a good time with you and did you enjoy …..?" She arched her neck in time to hear an 'uh-oh' and witness a brown blur racing from the table and out of the room. A door slammed close, and she giggled back into the sink. The cream treat was just a little too much for old Splinter.

"Told ya so!" She resumed her dishwasher duty and put a lid on her little buddy night.


End file.
